BOSTON (WHDH) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection assigned to the International Cargo Port in Boston seized more than 20,000 counterfeit N95 respirator masks earlier this month, officials announced Thursday.
Officers investigating a suspicious shipment from Hong Kong on Sept. 2 detained 43 boxes that appeared to contain counterfeit masks, according to a news release.
CBP specialists later determined that a total of 20,400 masks valued at about $163,200 were indeed fake.
“Counterfeit personal protective equipment puts frontline workers and the general public’s health at risk,” said Michael Denning, Director of Field Operations for the Boston Field Office. “CBP officers and our trade teams are trained to identify and intercept these dangerous goods before they can do harm to our communities and the American consumer.”
Certain organizations have been attempting to exploit the limited supply of and increased demand for some pharmaceuticals, personal protective equipment and other medical goods required to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, CBP officials warned.
Among other products, criminals have been trying to smuggle and sell counterfeit safety equipment, unapproved COVID-19 test kits, unproven medicines and substandard hygiene products through online marketplaces.
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